Flexible GUI

JT
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08 Apr 2025 15:01 #325938 by JT

Replied by JT on topic Flexible GUI

After you install Flex GUI from the CNC menu select Copy Flex Examples and all of the current examples will be in the linuxcnc/configs/flex_examples directory. Also after you install Flex GUI the PDF doc is on the CNC menu as well as some tools.

I don't care a whole lot for watching videos but sometimes it gets the idea across better when you can see someone click on this then do that in a video. I really hate videos with zoom bang intros or looking at some ugly mug in the corner of the video.

JT

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09 Apr 2025 11:26 #325977 by JT

Replied by JT on topic Flexible GUI

I forgot to mention that Flex GUI is the only Qt based gui to use Pyqt6, the rest use PyQt5 which is nearing end of life.

JT

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09 Apr 2025 12:25 #325981 by pgf

Replied by pgf on topic Flexible GUI

109jb wrote:
I also want to again give thanks for this wonderful tool and to give a peek at what I am working on. I have a 3 axis benchtop mill (RF-45 size) that I converted to CNC a few years ago. .....
I finally decided to just do it better and got a RPi 4b, installed LinuxCNC and have been working on an interface that for most of the way I use the mill can be done without ever touching a keyboard. I'll still have a small wireless keyboard with trackpad available if needed though. This is the interface I'm working on and I think it will suit me. I have the UI sized to perfectly fit the display that I bought to use as much space as possible. Thanks again for the very useful tool.

John B

Thanks for sharing that screenshot. Sounds like your situation is much like mine: home-grown, relatively simple mill, with a couple of brain transplants behind it (I've never run grbl, but first code it ran was on MS-DOS. Really.) Your UI really looks like it would suit my machine just about perfectly. I'll be copying it... unless you feel like sharing, of course! Thanks for the inspiration.

paul

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09 Apr 2025 18:02 #326003 by JT

Replied by JT on topic Flexible GUI

109jb wrote:
I got my touchscreen monitor delivered yesterday and just wanted to confirm that the issue I was having with touchscreen button not working right was a consequence of using Flex GUI in a virtual machine on windows. The Flex GUI that I made works perfectly on a real machine with touchscreen. For the real machine I am using a RPi 4b and a generic 10" touchscreen monitor.

For anyone else designing their GUI this way, I am using VirtualBox on a Windows 10 machine. The virtual Machine has LinuxCNC 2.9.4 installed from the live iso download. Here are the couple quirks I have found running it in the virtual machine. I want to stress that these issues don't exist once the .ui file is put on my RPi machine.

touchscreen buttons don't respond as expected in virtual machine

The machine will unexpectedly go to "Power Off" as soon as a motion command (Jog, MDI, or in a program) completes. Doesn't do it every time, but pretty often. Again, only in the virtual machine.

I also want to again give thanks for this wonderful tool and to give a peek at what I am working on. I have a 3 axis benchtop mill (RF-45 size) that I converted to CNC a few years ago. I did this as a hobby and use the machine for my hobbies. It has been run with many things including LinuxCNC on an old tower PC with ancient monitor, keyboard and mouse, with GRBL on an Arduino hooked to a Netbook with my own Visual Basic interface, and I tried one of those standalone controllers, but sent it back because it was junk. I finally decided to just do it better and got a RPi 4b, installed LinuxCNC and have been working on an interface that for most of the way I use the mill can be done without ever touching a keyboard. I'll still have a small wireless keyboard with trackpad available if needed though. This is the interface I'm working on and I think it will suit me. I have the UI sized to perfectly fit the display that I bought to use as much space as possible. Thanks again for the very useful tool.

John B

If you want to add that gui to the Flex examples just upload the ui file and I'll add it.

JT

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blazini36
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10 Apr 2025 11:02 #326024 by blazini36

Replied by blazini36 on topic Flexible GUI

Any chance of adding a "save" button for the code viewer? I see the "save_as_pb", I'd rather just overwrite the existing file without a prompt if it's possible.

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11 Apr 2025 11:04 #326053 by JT

Replied by JT on topic Flexible GUI

blazini36 wrote:
Any chance of adding a "save" button for the code viewer? I see the "save_as_pb", I'd rather just overwrite the existing file without a prompt if it's possible.

I never thought about that but it makes sense because you can edit the nc file in Flex you should be able to save your edits then reload.

Save menu item and button added.

JT

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11 Apr 2025 13:12 #326057 by JT

Replied by JT on topic Flexible GUI

I even added LED's to the reload and save button if you want them you just have to add a Dynamic Property. Big thanks to Chris for helping me understand the LED's

Just edited the nc code file.

Just saved the file so it shows a reload is needed.

So much fun...
JT

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11 Apr 2025 13:15 #326059 by JT

Replied by JT on topic Flexible GUI

Forgot the link to the docs
gnipsel.com/linuxcnc/flexgui/controls.html#led-buttons

JT

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blazini36
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12 Apr 2025 04:20 #326143 by blazini36

Replied by blazini36 on topic Flexible GUI

JT wrote:

blazini36 wrote:
Any chance of adding a "save" button for the code viewer? I see the "save_as_pb", I'd rather just overwrite the existing file without a prompt if it's possible.

I never thought about that but it makes sense because you can edit the nc file in Flex you should be able to save your edits then reload.

Save menu item and button added.

JT

Exactly, didn't realize it's one of those things you only wish you had when you realize you don't have it.

The option to open an editor or save as a new file is great if that's convenient for the arrangement you have. My particular setup on this machine it's super convenient just to edit in the code viewer, and just save it in case I wanna run it again. I don't really have any desire to open a text editor or save it as a new file since I'd rather just walk over to the desktop that has a good keyboard and edit it there. I don't necessarily wanna do that just to change a spindle speed line or something

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blazini36
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12 Apr 2025 04:21 #326144 by blazini36

Replied by blazini36 on topic Flexible GUI

JT wrote:
I even added LED's to the reload and save button if you want them you just have to add a Dynamic Property. Big thanks to Chris for helping me understand the LED's

Now thats cool, I wanna try that.

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Flexible GUI

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